greek gods and phil Flashcards

Question

what did hesiod say in theogany

Answer 1

- powers of the universe and about the gods - through their genealogy - mainly the "succession myth" about how Cronus overthrew Uranus etc and how Zeus was established as the ruler of the cosmos.

Answer 2

- focus on the creation of the gods and what the greeks thought explain the cause for gods' cults or aetiology (reason/cause) - NOT OCMPOSED BY HOMER BUT IN THE SAME STYLE

Answer 3

“It was craft-filled Zeus himself who gave birth from his sacred head to her already in armour of war.”

Answer 4

- Black figure Panathenaic Amphora - depicts athena.

Answer 5

-she takes up lots of space on the vase - head goes into neck of vase = physically impressive Unusually, her head breaks into the pained frieze on the neck of the vase and her crested helmet makes her even bigger, emphasizing her size and power -striding forward pose as she is about to throw a spear = mightiness in war -pale skin so is feminine. -prize in the Panathenaic games (glory) - held in honour of athena -would have olive oil in (sacred to athena), also useful for cooking and cleaning.

Answer 6

- many were natural philosophers who were interested in how the world worked eg astronony - only have fragments as later works eg plato were more important - discussing the olympian gods and rituals as well as rational explanation for myths - the gods were not explicitely ridiculed but traditional concepts eg anthromoprhism and their powers were questioned

Answer 7

- teachers and philosophers who charged for services

Answer 8

Ionia in Asia Minor ( a greek colony

Answer 9

nature eg what the universe was, how it began, the elements, stars, rain

Answer 10

- in asia minor, a greek colony far from athens. limited in audience as athens was far busier - other later thinkers took more importance and legacy - their works were too radical to gain momentum at the time - was later conquered by persia so would reduce their influence as they could not travel to Athens easily and were now the enemy.

Answer 11

protagoras of Abdera

Answer 12

- 6th-5th BCE - Most outspoken critic of traditional idea of the gods. - first to suggest one cosmic god who deos not have a human form, - maybe critiqued homer and hesiod's depiction of the gods as amoral

Answer 13

* His cosmology suggests that everything is to be found in water and earth alone ‘we all came from earth and water’

Answer 14

“horses would give their gods horse-like forms"

Answer 15

“Xenophanes spoke of manifold wickednesses of the Gods, stealing and adultery and deceit.” => criticised homer and hesiod for depicting the gods with anthropomorphic qualities such as hatred and deceit. suggesting gods should be more moral

Answer 16

"there is one god who is greatest among gods and men, like morals neither in body nor mind" - not saying Xenophanes was a monotheist as this is a leap - perhaps not too shocking as there is already an understanding that zeus was at the top of the hierarchy of gods.

Answer 17

iris brings rainbow in Iliad.

Answer 18

- recognised limits of anthropomorphism - challenged that natural phenomena were caused by gods - offered monotheism

Answer 19

corrupting the youth and impiety (disrespect for gods)

Answer 20

continuing to question ideas until it is full formed, never saying what is the truth. he never claimed to know the truth

Answer 21

- passed concerns of athenian democracy - thought to conspire two of his pupils to treason

Answer 22

NO - Xenophon and Plato stressed he did not charge them or ever claim to be a teacher Aristophanes in the Clouds likens him to a sophist

Answer 23

sortition - random lottery from a pool of citizen volunteers

Answer 24

ekklesia = assembly where you could propose laws any citizen, roughly 6000 out of the 30k citizebs

Answer 25

500 member council

Answer 26

most went thru lots but went through checks eg their family background.

Answer 27

- designed to safeguard against tyranny - each year the assembly could banish one public figure for 10 years - the assembly casted their votes on pieces of broken pottery (ostraca)

Answer 28

508 BC - reforms by Cleisthenes established democracy in Athens. - Peloponnesian War = Sparta won in 404BC. Athens was occupied by Sparta, and its democracy was temporarily disbanded. - A pro-Spartan oligarchic regime known as the Thirty Tyrants ruled Athens for about a year, during which time they brutally suppressed democratic forces. - However, in 403 BCE, democracy was restored after a successful uprising, allowing Athens to recover some stability, though it never regained its former power.

Answer 29

Alcibiades - devoted follower of Socrates - but initially led athenian invasion of sicily = disaster - drunk with friends and mutilated herms around athens - accused of mocking the Eleusinian mysteries in his home with uninitiated people - recalled from sicily to stand trial but defected to sparta and helped spartans win in sicily - sentenced to death in his absence.

Answer 30

- follower of socrates - one of the thirty tyrants when democracy was temporarily disabanded after the peloponnesian wars

Answer 31

- elections eg for generals - fair system which prevented extremism and countered those with money - ostracism demonstrates both of these

Answer 32

- sortition system is not a meritocracy, rather awarding those who could afford to not work in order to run - not all citizens were allowed to vote, only older men with property

Answer 33

- first mentioned in Hesiod's theogany as men of the golden age were turned into invisible guardians of mortals by zeus - also mentioned in Aristophanes' Frogs - a group of Pythagoreans claim to see and hear their daimonions. - Socrates sought to find a word for that unique inner experience which would compel him in situations to stop, say no, and turn about, rather than speak of something divine, he preferred to speak of something daimonic, the daimonion, that encountered him.

Answer 34

- Does not claim to have wisdom, except knowing he is not wise. - Believes in Helios and greets the rising sun with a prayer. -Sacrifices in public, including at festivals.

Answer 35

- Man could only be made by a divine mind. - The Oracle at Delphi (Apollo) ordered me to spend my life in philosophy and in examining myself and others. I shall not desert this even in face of death. - Advises Xenophon to consult the oracle. - To fear death is to claim wisdom which mortals cannot have.

Answer 36

- socrates argues for the importance of obeying the laws of the state, even if those laws seem unjust or are a product of a flawed democratic process

Answer 37

- socrates compares democracy to a ship with no competent captain, where the sailors fight for control despite their ignorance

Answer 38

– Throughout his defense, he expresses skepticism about the ability of the Athenian people (the masses) to make wise decisions. - He famously states that "the unexamined life is not worth living," suggesting that most citizens live thoughtlessly and without philosophical inquiry.

Answer 39

- Socrates criticizes the Athenian politicians of his day, particularly their use of rhetoric to manipulate the masses rather than to lead them to

Answer 40

- a man approaches socrates to learn how to get out of debt - leads to Socrates having dangerous views that Zeus doesnt exist. 'Have you ever seen it raining without clouds? You would expect Zeus to make it rain from a clear sky.’

Answer 41

meletus (the accuser) accused before the archon that there was a cause of moral corruption of athenian youth and impiety to which socrates must legally answer the majority of diktasts (male citizen jurors) chose to convict him and sentenced him to death by hemlock

Answer 42

- Socrates' Mission - his life's purpose comes from the Oracle of Delphi, who claimed he was the wisest of men. Socrates didn't believe this, so he began questioning people considered wise, discovering that they often lacked true understanding. His wisdom, he says, comes from knowing that he knows nothing. - Corruption of the Youth: he argues that he never intentionally harmed anyone. if he had, someone would have come forward as a victim. - Challenging the Gods: he argues that he does believe in divine matters, as he often refers to a divine voice, or daimonion, that guides him, proving his belief in higher powers. Moral Philosophy: Throughout his defence, Socrates stresses that a good life is one where a person seeks truth and wisdom rather than wealth or popularity. He says it's more important to care for the soul than the body, and that he won’t give up his philosophical mission, even if it costs him his life.

Answer 43

he believes a true philosopher shouldnt fear death as nobody knows what happens

Answer 44

, ‘I am wiser than this man; for neither of us really knows anything fine and good, but this man thinks he knows something when he does not, whereas I, as I do not know anything, do not think I do either. I seem, then, in just this little thing to be wiser than this man at any rate, that what I do not know I do not think I know either.’

Answer 45

"to fear death is nothing else than to think one is wise when one is not.”

Answer 46

" you have seen me sacrificing at the communal festivals and on the public altars. As for introducing ‘new divinities,’ how could I be guilty of that merely in asserting that a voice of God is made manifest to me indicating my duty? Surely those who take their omens from the cries of birds and the utterances of men form their judgments on ‘voices.’ Does not the very priestess who sits on the tripod at Delphi divulge the god's will through a ‘voice’?”

Answer 47

less idealised and more grounded image of socrates, also written at the actual time. had to win competitions so this wouldve been near to public opinion

Answer 48

Socrates questioned traditional beliefs, which may have influenced young athenians to rebel against authority figures and traditional values. (plato gorgias). He was accused of teaching dangerous ideas like critiquing democracy to the young (plato, republic)

Answer 49

Socrates claimed no one came forward as a victim of his teachings (plato, apology) His questioning of others aimed to promote critical thinking, not corruption and revolution

Answer 50

Accused of introducing new divinities such as his concept of the daimonion - a guiding divine voice. (plato apology). He criticised traditional religious explanations for national phenomena - in aristophanes' clouds the character questions if zeus actually causes rain.

Answer 51

- Frequently participated in public religious events (like sacrifices at communal festivals - Xenophon, Apology) - In his trial he denied disbelieving in the gods, even the daimonion was mentioned in hesiod

Answer 52

Critiqued the wisdom of the masses and the ability of athenian democracy to make decisions. Socrates compares democracy to a ship with no competent captain, where the sailors (citizens) fight for control despite their ignorance. (plato republic)

Answer 53

- argues for the importance of obeying the laws of the state, even if those laws seem unjust or are the result of a flawed democratic process. - He obeyed the law even when unjust as shown by his acceptance of the death sentence.

Answer 54

- RELIGIOUS - he was accused of impiety - failing to recognise the traditional gods of athens and introducing new deities. The daimonion was interpreted as a rejection of athenian gods. Even though Socrates could defend his respect from the gods, the athenian government used this charge to apply the death penalty. - POLITICALLY - socrates' philosophical questioning posed a threat to the democratic Values of athens. His criticism of democracy and belief that the masses were incapable of ruling justly was seen as dangerous - in the wake of athenian democracy's reinstatement after an oligarchy revolutionary period. Furthermore, his association with critias and alcibiades worsened his standing and made his teachings seem more revolutionary in nature. => He did not conform to athenian values and way of life, so this combined with the political danger he posed to athenian democracy was seen as a threat to athens - thus meaning the impiety charge was the vehicle for his execution.

greek gods and phil Flashcards

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